Device and bridge card for a computer

ABSTRACT

A device is described for a computer having two circuit boards ( 10, 11 ) on which plug connectors ( 15 ) are present for plug-in cards ( 16 ) which project above the circuit boards ( 10, 11 ) with a first height (H 1 ). There is a bridge card ( 19 ), which is plugged into the two circuit boards ( 10, 11 ), connecting the two circuit boards ( 10, 11 ) electrically and projecting above the circuit boards ( 10, 11 ) with a second height (H 2 ). According to this invention, the bridge card ( 19 ) is connected to the two circuit boards independently of the plug connectors ( 15 ), and the first height (H 1 ) is greater than the second height (H 2 ).

STATE OF THE ART

[0001] This invention relates to a device for a computer having at leasttwo circuit boards on which there are plug connectors, for plug-incards, which project at a first height above the circuit boards, andhaving a bridge card which is plugged into the two circuit boards and bymeans of which the two circuit boards are connected togetherelectrically, and which projects at a second height above the circuitboards. This invention also relates to a corresponding bridge card for acomputer.

[0002] Such a device is known for use with a personal computer, forexample, where two so-called bus cards are connected togetherelectrically and functionally by a bridge card. With the help of abridge card, it is possible to increase the number of plug-in slots madeavailable by the bus cards. Plug-in cards such as adapter cards fordevices connected to the computer may be plugged into these plug-inslots.

[0003] It is known that the bridge card is equipped with matingconnectors, which can be inserted into the plug connectors on the twocircuit boards. When plugged in, the bridge card thus occupies one plugconnector on each of the two circuit boards.

[0004] The bridge card is usually provided with an integrated chip,which provides the electric and functional connection for the twocircuit boards. In particular, the chip is suitable for generatingselector signals for selecting certain plug-in slots and transmittingthem between the circuit boards.

[0005] As a result of the structural size of the chips, the bridge cardcovers not only both of the plug connectors of the circuit boards onwhich it is installed but also the next two plug connectors on the twocircuit boards. This means that the bridge card occupies a total of fourplug connectors on the two circuit boards rather than just two.

[0006] The disadvantage of the known bridge card is, therefore, that itspresence is automatically associated with plug-in slots on both circuitboards being occupied. Accordingly, additional plug-in cards may not beplugged into these plug-in slots, so that the increase in availableplug-in slots that can be achieved with the help of a bridge card is notactually achieved in the related art.

OBJECT AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The object of the present invention is to create a device or abridge card for a computer in which all possible plug-in slots are infact also available.

[0008] The object is achieved with a device of the type defined in thepreamble by the fact that the bridge card that is connected to twocircuit boards, independently of the plug connectors, and a first heightthat is greater than a second height.

[0009] In other words, this means that the bridge card is no longerplugged into the plug connectors of the two circuit boards. This aloneyields the result that two more plug-in slots are available as comparedwith that available in the related art.

[0010] In addition, as a result of the size ratios of the two heightsrelative to one another, the bridge card projects above the circuitboard less, as a whole, than the plug connectors into which the plug-incards are plugged. Thus, the plug-in cards can be plugged into the plugconnectors of the circuit boards without colliding with the bridge cardin any way. If plug-in cards are plugged into the plug connectors of thetwo circuit boards, the bridge card is thus ultimately below the plug-incards when plugged in. Therefore, plug-in slots are no longer blocked bythe bridge card.

[0011] On the whole, the present invention yields the result that thenumber of plug-in slots that can possibly be achieved is in factachieved through use of a bridge card according to the presentinvention. Thus, no plugin slots are wasted because of the bridge card.This has obvious advantages from the standpoint of computer design andespecially with regard to the resulting costs.

[0012] In advantageous refinements of the present invention, the twocircuit boards may be arranged side by side with a distance between themand substantially in a common plane and/or the bridge card may bearranged substantially parallel to the circuit boards.

[0013] An especially advantageous embodiment of the present invention ischaracterized in that the bridge card is equipped with at least twomating connectors; the two circuit boards are each equipped with atleast one plug connector into which the mating connectors of the bridgecard are plugged, and the two circuit boards are connected electricallyto the bridge card by the plug connectors and the mating connectors.

[0014] Thus, separate plug connectors and mating connectors are providedfor connecting the bridge card to the two circuit boards. This makes itpossible for these plug connectors and mating connectors to be designedvery flat or small that the second height remains smaller than the firstheight. Thus, ultimately, the present invention is implemented bysuitably designed plug connectors and mating connectors.

[0015] In advantageous refinements of the present invention, the plugconnectors for the plug-in cards, the plug connectors and the matingconnectors are all arranged substantially parallel to one another. Inaddition, it is advantageous if the second height is determined by theheight of the bridge card, the plug connectors, the mating connectorsand the chip. It is useful if the bridge card is provided with a chip.

[0016] In especially advantageous embodiments of the present invention,the plug connectors belong to a PCI bus, especially a compact PCI bus.

[0017] The present invention is also implemented by a bridge card for acomputer, wherein the computer is equipped with at least two circuitboards on which there are plug connectors, for plug-in cards whichproject above the circuit boards at a first height, wherein a bridgecard can be plugged into the two circuit boards, wherein the two circuitboards can be interconnected electrically by the plugged-in bridge card,and wherein the plugged-in bridge card projects with a second heightabove the circuit boards. According to the present invention, the bridgecard is connected to the two circuit boards, independently of the plugconnectors, and the bridge card is designed so that the second height issmaller than the first height.

[0018] Additional features, possible applications and advantages of thepresent invention are derived from the following description ofembodiments of the present invention, which are illustrated in thefigures of the drawing. All the features described or illustrated hereinconstitute the objects of the present invention either alone or in anydesired combination, regardless of how they are combined in the patentclaims or their reference back to previous claims and also regardless ofhow they are formulated in the description or presented in the figures.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0019]FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic top view of an embodiment of adevice according to the present invention for a computer, and

[0020]FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic side view of the device from FIG. 1as seen from direction II.

[0021]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two circuit boards 10, 11 for a computer.The circuit boards 10, 11 are in particular so-called bus cards of anindustrial or personal computer. The circuit boards 10, 11 are arrangedside by side, substantially in the same plane, with a specific distancebetween them.

[0022]FIG. 1 illustrates back sides 12 of the circuit boards 10, 11. Inthe case of bus card, the back side 12 is divided into an upper area 13and a lower area 14.

[0023] Plug connectors 15 provided in the upper area 13 of the back side12 are mounted on the circuit boards 10, 11 and project a distance awayfrom them. Plug-in cards such as adapter cards for a printer or the liketo be connected can be plugged into the plug connectors 15. Such aplug-in card, in the plugged in state, is illustrated as an example withdash-dot lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is labeled with reference number16.

[0024] In the lower area 14 of the back side 12, there are plugconnectors 18 which are also mounted on circuit boards 10, 11 andproject away from them. Mating connectors 17, which are mounted on thelower side of a bridge card 19 and extend away from it, are plugged intothe plug connectors 18.

[0025] An integrated chip 20 is present on the top side or on the lowerside of the bridge card 19. The two circuit boards 10, 11 are connectedelectrically and functionally to one another by the bridge card 19 andwith the help of the chip 20.

[0026] Two such mating connectors 17 are present on the bridge card 19.Each of the two mating connectors 17 is provided for one plug connector18 of one of the two circuit boards 10, 11. This yields an electricconnection of the circuit board 10 to the bridge card 19 by way of theplug connector 18 and mating connector 17, and from the bridge card 19to the circuit board 11 by way of the chip 20, mating connector 17 andplug connector 18.

[0027] The bridge card 19 is arranged approximately parallel to the twocircuit boards 10, 11. In addition, bridge card 19 overlaps each of thetwo circuit boards 10, 11 within the lower area 14. The bridge card 19extends approximately up to the second plug connector 15 of the twocircuit boards 10, 11.

[0028] The plug connectors 15, plug connectors 18 and mating connectors17 are aligned approximately parallel to one another. The plugconnectors 18 with mating connectors 17 are arranged approximately inthe middle between two plug connectors 15. A plug connector 18 with amating connector 17 plugged into it is provided on the circuit board 10and on the circuit board 11. The plug connector 18 and/or the matingconnector 17 may be designed in two parts here.

[0029] Additional plug connectors 22 are provided on a front side 21 ofthe circuit boards 10, 11. Additional plug-in cards, which areillustrated using dash-dot lines in FIG. 2 as an example, are labeledwith reference number 23, can also be plugged into plug connectors 22.One of these plug-in cards may be a CPU card, which thus carries theprocessor of the entire computer.

[0030] The pins of the plug connectors 22 of the front side 21 areconnected electrically to one another on each of the two circuit boards10, 11 and form a bus on each of the two circuit boards 10, 11. Theprinted conductors of this bus are arranged substantially in the lowerarea 14 of the circuit boards 10, 11. In addition, in the upper area 13of the circuit boards 10, 11, each of the plug connectors 15 on the backside 12 is connected by way of pins to the opposing plug connector 22 onthe front side 21.

[0031] The distance between the plug connectors 15, 22 is 20.32 mm. Thetwo circuit boards 10, 11 are arranged side by side in such a way thatthe spacer grid formed by the plug connectors 15, 22 is preserved. Thebridge card 19 is preferably also adapted to this spacer grid.

[0032] On each of the two circuit boards 10, 11, the above-mentioned busand optionally other pins of the plug connectors 15, 22, which areconnected together, are connected electrically to the pins of the plugconnector 18 belonging to the respective circuit boards 10, 11.

[0033] The pins of the two mating connectors 17 present on the bridgecard 19 are interconnected by the chip 20. The chip 20 is an electronicmodule, which is suitable for processing signals arriving at the matingconnectors 17. The chip is thus suitable for generating so-calledselector signals for the individual plug-in cards 16 of the two circuitboards 10, 11, for example, and/or transmitting the signals between thetwo circuit boards 10, 11.

[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the plug connectors 15 have a certainfirst height H1 by which they project above the circuit boards 10, 11.In addition, the plug connectors 18, the mating connectors 17, thebridge card 19 and the chip 20 together have a certain second height H2by which they project above the circuit boards 10, 11. If the chip 20 ison the lower side of the bridge card 19, it does not contribute anythingtoward the second height H2.

[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first height H1 is greater than thesecond height H2.

[0036] This is achieved in particular by the fact that the plugconnectors 18 and the mating connectors 17 are designed to be flat orsmall enough so that the total second height H2 remains smaller than thefirst height H1.

[0037] In selecting the second height H2, it may be necessary to takeinto account the fact that the plug-in cards 16 which are inserted intothe plug connectors 15 project slightly above the plug connectors 15 andthus reduce the first height H1 accordingly.

[0038] The plug-in cards 16 having the bridge card 19 with the chip 20in the lower area 14 may thus also be plugged into these plug connectors15. The plug-in cards 16 plugged into these plug connectors 15 are notaffected by the bridge card 19 or the chip 20 according to FIG. 2. Inparticular, the plug-in cards 16 can be plugged completely into theplugs 15 without the plug-in cards 16 coming in contact with the bridgecard 19 or the chip 20. The bridge card 19 and the chip 20 are thencompletely beneath the plug-in cards 16 which are plugged into theseplug connectors 15.

[0039] It is pointed out explicitly here that the two circuit boards 10,11 may also be present in the form of a single circuit board. In thiscase, there are two halves on one circuit board which correspondessentially to the two circuit boards 10, 11. These two halves can thenbe linked together in the same way as the two circuit boards 10, 11namely by a bridge card which is installed on the circuit board.

[0040] In addition, it should be pointed out that the circuit boards 10,11 as well as the combined circuit board described above can also becascaded with multiple boards.

1. A device for a computer having at least two circuit boards (10, 11)on which there are plug connectors (15) for plug-in cards (16) whichproject above the circuit boards (10, 11) with a first height (H1), andhaving a bridge card (19) connected to the two circuit boards (10, 11)and connects the two circuit boards (10, 11) electrically and projectsabove the circuit boards (10, 11) with a second height (H2),characterized in that the bridge card (19) is connected to the twocircuit boards independently of the plug connectors (15), and the firstheight (H1) is greater than the second height (H2).
 2. The deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the two circuit boards (10,11) are arranged side by side with a specific distance between them, andare arranged substantially in the same plane.
 3. The device according toclaim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bridge card (19) is arrangedsubstantially in parallel with the circuit boards (10, 11).
 4. Thedevice according to one of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that thebridge card (19) is provided with at least two mating connectors (18)the two circuit boards (10, 11) are each provided with at least one plugconnector (17) into which are plugged the mating connectors (18) of thebridge card (19), and the two circuit boards (10, 11) are connectedelectrically to the bridge card (19) by the plug connectors (17) and themating connectors (18).
 5. The device according to claim 4,characterized in that the plug connectors (15) for the plug-in cards,the plug connectors (18) and the mating connectors (17) are arrangedapproximately in parallel with one another.
 6. The device according toclaim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second height (H2) is determinedby the height of the bridge card (19), the plug connectors (18), themating connectors (17) and optionally also the chip (20).
 7. The deviceaccording to one of claims 1 through 6, characterized in that the bridgecard (19) is provided with a chip (20).
 8. The device according to oneof the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug connectors (15)belong to a PCI bus, especially a compact PCI bus.
 9. A bridge card (19)for a computer, the computer being provided with at least two circuitboards (10, 11), which have plug connectors (15) for plug-in cards (16)that project above the circuit boards (10, 11) to a first height (H1),the bridge card (19) being pluggable into the two circuit boards (10,11), the two circuit boards (10, 11) being electrically connectable byway of the plugged-in bridge card (19), and the plugged-in bridge card(19) projecting above the circuit boards (10, 11) to a second height(H2), characterized in that the bridge card (19) is connected to the twocircuit boards (10, 11) independently of the plug connectors (15), andthe bridge card (19) is designed so that the second height (H2) issmaller than the first height (H1).
 10. The device or bridge card (19)according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a singlecircuit board is provided instead of the minimum of two circuit boards(10, 11).